4 Philadelphians Nabbed In Wave Of Suburban Convenience Store Jobs

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MEDIA, Pa. (CBS) - Four Philadelphia residents have been arrested and charged with a series of smash-and-grab burglaries in the suburbs.

From last fall until early this year, at least 13 convenience stores in Delaware, Chester, and Montgomery counties were hit. The burglars weren’t after cash; they wanted the cigarette inventory (see previous story).

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(A man is caught breaking in to a "To Go" store in Brookhaven, Pa. late last year.)

Delaware County DA Mike Green that says in every case, the M.O. was the same.

“They smashed out the front door, raced into the convenience store, identified the tobacco product, and raced out of the store with that product. Each of these crimes took no more than a few minutes,” DA Green says.

Green says that between $50,000 and $100,000 worth of cigarettes were stolen, then resold for cash at stores in Philadelphia.

One woman and three men are now in custody, charged with those crimes. Green credits good police work with finally cracking the case after months of break-ins.